


Worked Out How To Win His Heart

by ShirosRedKnight (SweetFanfics)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (its just good eye candy), Background Hance, M/M, Mutual Pining, instagram fitness star takashi shirogane, keith used to be in the UFC (but thats not plot relevant), pining shiro, the gang is all here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 06:23:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13428696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFanfics/pseuds/ShirosRedKnight
Summary: To make a long story short: Shiro's working at a gym, he's crushing on a cute guy there, and Allura decides to introduce the two to get the ball rolling. But will Shiro ever make a move or will he pine away?





	Worked Out How To Win His Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for the Aphelion Zine, which! was a great honor to be a part of :) This fic is dedicated to Kanma who originally proposed the idea all because a fitness Instagram account like a picture of Shiro. Thank you Traverse for beta-ing. I wouldn't be me if I didn't pick a punny title.

It’s been little over a month since he joined _Altea Fitness_ as their new personal trainer, and so far things have been good. Developing personalized plans for the premium clients has been _challenging_ but Shiro likes to think he’s doing okay. Even if he feels like a broken record correcting a lot of his clients misunderstandings about health ways to lose weight. Thankfully the staff and management at the gym are understanding and helpful, telling him where everything is when he needs it and warning him which clients to be wary of. So all in all, Shiro’s had a pretty good start to his new job.

 

He has the feeling though that they’re giving him more leeway than they would give most new trainers. It’s probably because membership surfed after he’d posted about his new workplace on his Instagram. Coran’s been slapping his back, praising him for being “such a fit young man!” while Allura’s been encouraging him to plug the gym some more on his Instagram. Which, he _has_ been doing. Probably not as much as Allura would like but...

 

All in all, life is good, his new job is good, his Instagram following continues to grow. Shiro’s got a couple of really nice deals lined up that’ll help boost his savings to boot. Now if only he could figure out a solution to the ‘problem’ he’s facing in his love life, everything would be swell.

 

“Who even says swell anymore?” Pidge mutters from behind her desk. “Here, I fixed your card key. It shouldn’t give you any trouble trying to access the steam room.”

 

“Thanks. And what’s wrong with saying swell?”

 

“Like I said, no one says it anymore.”

 

Looking up from where he’s raiding Pidge’s mini-fridge, Lance asks, “You should just tell us who this guy is, Shiro. We could help you ask him out after all these weeks of pining.”

 

“I haven’t been pining for weeks.”

 

“You have.” Lance laughs, straightening up with a single helping of yoghurt in hand. Shiro pouts in agreement but Pidge just rolls her eyes. “But seriously. Who is this guy? What’s the hold up?”

 

Shiro quickly weighs the pros and cons. As much as he hates to admit it, he hasn’t figured out a solid strategy. So maybe if told Lance and Pidge, they _could_ help him? All the teasing would be worth it if he could just get a date. Shiro chews on his top lip indecisively for quick moment before sighing. As he clips his card back onto the lanyard, he explains, “I’m not sure if he’s into dating guys or not.”

 

“Just ask him.”

 

The judgemental “duh” in Pidge’s reply causes Shiro’s brown to dip into a frown. “I never get the chance. As soon as he comes, he puts his headphones on and starts working out.”

 

“Interrupt him and ask if he needs any help.”

 

Shiro shakes his head at Lance’s suggestion as well. “He comes with a friend and they’ve got a pretty solid routine. There’s nothing I can do to help them. I’d look like an idiot just butting in. Besides, what if they’re dating?”

 

“Then you move on.”

 

“You try to steal him away.”

 

Shiro glances between the pair as they frown at each other’s reply.

 

“You try to steal him away?” Pidge parrots back to Lance.

 

Similarly, Lance echoes Pidge’s advice before shaking his head. “You’ll never get a boyfriend _or_ a girlfriend with that attitude.”

 

“Who is showing attitude?” Allura asks as she steps into the office as well.

 

Pidge jerks her head at Lance, “He thinks Shiro should break up a relationship just to get a boyfriend.”

 

While Lance splutters in indignation and attempts to defend himself, Allura’s turned to him with bright, curious eyes. Shiro sighs and explains, “I like a guy who comes here with another guy, but I’m not sure if they’re dating or just friends.”

 

“What’s his name? If he’s a regular, then Coran or I will know if he’s seeing anyone or not.”

 

“Why would you know _that_?” Pidge asks with a deep frown. “This is a gym, not a matchmaking company.”

 

Allura wags her finger at Pidge with a smug expression, “It’s good customer service to know all you can about your clients. And that includes knowing what’s happening in their lives.”

 

“More like you just love to gossip.”

 

Ignoring that particular jibe, Allura turns back to Shiro with an expectant expression. So he sighs, rubs the back of his neck, and says, “His name is Keith. He wears a red tank and black leggings.”

 

“ _Keith_ ?” Lance yells almost immediately. “You like _that_ asshole?”

 

A little alarmed, Shiro looks at Lance before turning to the others for an explanation. But Lance provides one himself, immediately launching into what is clearly a well practiced speech defining Keith as his long time rival and “an asshole with no manners.”

 

“Is he really that bad?” Shiro asks Allura, feeling more than a little disappointed. If this guy is really as bad as Lance says he is then...

 

Allura rolls her eyes as hard as she can. “Not at all. Lance is just mad that Keith got first place in several categories during our annual fitness competition that he wanted to win.” Shiro tilts his head in confusion because he doesn’t understand how that can lead to _that_ kind of a tirade. “Lance came second or third in all of those categories by a _substantial_ margin.”

 

Ah. That explains it a little bit more.

 

“So he’s not an asshole?”

 

“Absolutely!” Lance insists.

 

Pidge snorts in amusement, “A little bit, but not _that_ kind of an asshole. He’s less of an asshole than I am.”

 

“He’s a lot more sarcastic than you’d expect,” Allura adds.

 

 _I guess I’ll have to meet him and judge for myself_? Shiro decides with a frown.

 

“So, is he dating his friend then? The Hunk guy?”

 

“Nope!” Lance answers immediately. “ _I’m_ the one who’ll be dating Hunk soon! I’ve got plans to ask him out.”

 

“You’ve been saying that for months now. Just do it already.”

 

“It’s not that easy! You’ve got to read the mood! There’s a time and place for these things.”

 

While Lance and Pidge bicker over the finer points of the ‘right time’ to ask someone out, Allura slaps his back with a cheerful, “There you have it. Keith is very much single, so you can try to woo him while Lance tries to ask Hunk out.”

 

Woo him? Shiro can’t help but flush a little at Allura’s wording. “That’s uhh... I guess so, yeah? But like I said, I don’t know how to approach him. He’s always so focused on his work out, I never know when to talk to him.”

 

Allura’s eyes narrow in contemplation. She taps a finger against her cheek thoughtfully, before a wolfish grin spreads across her face. A vague feeling of “oh no” solidifies in the pit of his stomach when Allura declares, “I know _just_ what to do.”

 

\--

 

Keith stares at him, dark indigo eyes lingering on Shiro’s thick arms and thighs before giving Allura a highly skeptical look. “Really?” the man asks. “I know I said I’d like to work with a trainer but I’m not looking to buff up.”

 

“What _is_ your goal then?”

 

The interjection pulls Keith’s attention back to him. Shiro tries not to stare at Keith’s arms as he crosses them, biting down on his tongue to keep from pointing out that Keith is already plenty buff himself. Sure, he’s doesn’t have the same amount of muscles Shiro does but he is _ripped_.

 

“I’ve been focusing on building my endurance for a while now and want to add some strength exercises to my routine.”

 

Before he knows it, Shiro is moving into trainer mode. He pulls out the notepad he keeps on him at all times and asks, “What are you doing right now? What exercises, how many reps, duration, the breaks you take.”

 

Keith rattles off the answers, taking a step closer to observe Shiro scribbling away. Shiro notices this and turns his notes towards him, beginning a long conversation about what exercises Keith has done in the past, which suit him, his diet, etc. It’s not a long conversation by any stretch but Shiro feels pleased at the end of it because Keith’s expression has gone from skeptical to resolute and pleased.

 

“Can I start today?” He asks, reading over the new regiment Shiro has written down for him.

 

“You just came in, right? And did your stretches?” After Keith nods in the affirmative, Shiro nods. “Okay. Let’s start with barbell squats. I know you said you hated doing them, but you’re going to have to do it.”

 

Keith makes a face like he’s swallowed a lemon, causing Shiro to laugh and playfully pat his back. “If it’s any consolation, I hate squats too. The only thing I hate more are lunges.”

 

Disbelieving indigo eyes go from his face to his thighs before coming back up with clear disbelief. “With those thighs? I find that hard to believe.”

 

It’s not a compliment but Shiro’s brain takes it as one. Some part of him is viscerally pleased that Keith just checked out his thighs and urges him to up his leg work outs if it means keeping Keith’s eyes on him.

 

Clearing his throat, Shiro tells Keith, “I don’t have to like an exercise to do it. Especially when I know it’s effective.”

 

He’s quick to help Keith set up, demonstrating the proper posture, and keeping him steady with a hand on his back as he makes a few slow attempts. Every shift of muscle underneath his gloved palm sends pleasant tingles racing up his spine to steal his breath away. But somehow Shiro manages to keep his cool and focus.

 

Keith’s finishing his first rep when Shiro’s eyes meet Allura’s across the room. She smirks and mouths, “You’re welcome.”

 

Shiro looks away and hopes he’s not turning red (and that Keith hasn't noticed).

 

\--

 

As much as he wants to, Shiro can’t give Keith personalized attention for anything longer than a couple of sessions (which is exactly what Keith’s paid for). Once Keith’s gotten the hang of his new exercise routine, Shiro’s forced to take a step back and be more hands off. He has to turn his attention to the other gym members, advising them, helping them, and showing them the ropes.

 

This means that, at most, he gets to spend no more than a couple of minutes with Keith in between helping other gym members when he’s on the floor. And even that conversation is often stilted due to the fact that Keith’s often in the middle of his routine and out of breath. But still, Shiro cherishes those little moments where he tries to make a good impression.

 

Which isn’t to say that Shiro doesn’t sometimes give into his more primal instincts and try to show off by bench pressing his max weight. It’s medieval sure but that doesn’t take away how impressive the feat is. Keith rolls his eyes at the display but will still praise him for the effort, causing Shiro to preen in a way that makes the other man laugh and playfully slap his back.

 

“Gonna put you in your place one of these days,” Keith will often say.

 

“I bet you could anyways under the right circumstances.”

 

“Damn right.”

 

He tries to flirt but more often than not, they wind up talking about exercise. Shiro feels like buying his face in his hands and curling up into an ashamed ball every time the topic comes back to that if he’s honest. He worries that he’s giving off the impression that all he cares about is exercise.

 

Thankfully, an opportunity soon presents itself where he can attempt to redeem his ‘fitness freak’ impression and it’s when Keith brings up his instagram account.

 

\--

 

The teenager beams at him, thanking him for the selfie before trotting away to another corner of the gym. Shiro watches him walk away, happy smile turning confused when he sees the amused look on Keith’s face.

 

“I didn’t realize your fans came here too,” Keith says.

 

With a sheepish grin, Shiro shrugs. “It’s half the reason why Allura and Coran hired me. They thought it’d bring more of a younger crowd in.”

 

“Has it?”

 

“They say it has.”

 

Keith hums, stretching his arms overhead before bringing them back down. He sharply slaps his thighs, drawing Shiro’s eyes down. Keith’s wearing shorts today and Shiro’s trying not to sigh dreamily at all that bare skin. “You’re earning your keep then.”

 

Shiro laughs and scratches his buzzcut. “I hope that’s not all they’re judging me on! Besides, that’s not really sustainable you know?” When Keith shoots him a curious look asking him for an explanation, Shiro provides one readily. “I started my Instagram as a way of holding myself accountable. It felt more tangible to put my goals out there and then use it as a way to keep track of how I was doing. I never _planned_ on being a fitness guru or anything. And I’m not that. I’m just a guy who has an interest in living healthy and did a lot of research into it.”

 

“And works closely with a dietician to do so,” Keith points out.

 

It’s the kind of detail that only a follower of his would know and that fills Shiro with unexpected delight. He grins at Keith immediately, “You’ve watched my stuff?”

 

“Yep. The day after we met. I wanted to see what kind of guy you were. I wound up checking out all of your videos.”

 

Shiros blinks before staring at Keith in amazement. “I’ve got _hundreds_ of videos!”

 

Keith studiously avoids his gaze before muttering, “I had a free weekend.”

 

“That you took to go through all the videos on my account?” Shiro has to bite down on the laugh that threatens to bubble out thanks to the way Keith avoids his gaze. But it comes falling out anyways when Keith knocks their shoulders together.

 

“Like you’ve got anything better to do on the weekend.”

 

“I do actually,” Shiro takes a step back to make room for a trio to comfortably pass by and in doing so, puts himself in Keith’s personal bubble. Underneath the clean sweat smell coming off Keith, Shiro detects the last vestiges of his deodorant. It’s a sharp musky scent that he wants to take a good breath of.

 

Keith rolls his eyes but doesn’t move away. There’s no indication that he’s uncomfortable at their proximity. “Like what?”

 

“Well...” Shiro thinks about what he does on his weekends. “I clean my apartment. I take my dog to the dog park. Make my meals for the week.”

 

“You’re such an old man.”

 

With an offended glare, Shiro points out, “I’m 25!”

 

“ _Old_ man with his old man habits.”

 

Keith’s teasing has his hands moving before Shiro can stop himself. He playfully grabs Keith’s head in a headlock and noogies him, “Say that again and I’ll benchpress you.”

 

Laughing, Keith squirms his way out of Shiro’s grip but keeps his hands on the older man’s ribs as he takes a step back. “Alright, alright! But I’m just saying that’s not really an exciting life. In fact, that’s pretty mundane.”

 

“What’s _your_ weekend like then?”

 

“I go hiking, sometimes I go indoor rock climbing. I help out at an animal shelter whenever I’ve got time.” Keith rattles off a list of activities that leave Shiro eyeing him in admiration. “I keep busy,” Keith finishes with a modest shrug.

 

“That doesn’t leave a lot of time for dates.”

 

With a tiny shrug and a mysterious smile, Keith answers, “I make time for the right person.” Shiro tries not to read too much into the look gives at his mysterious answer but his heart races anyways.

 

But before Shiro can ask who qualifies as “the right person”, Keith nods towards the dumbbells, “Want to keep me company while I do some sets? Maybe you can tell me what this Lance guy is like.”

 

Shiro blinks in confusion at Keith before following a step behind. “You’ve met the guy!”

 

“Hunk said he was trainer here but I don’t think I’ve met him.” Keith waves a dismissive hand, pausing to stare at Shiro in confusion when the taller man bursts into laughter. “What’s so funny?”

 

\--

 

“Do you want to go out for dinner tomorrow?”

 

Behind Lance’s back, Shiro and Keith exchange a surprised look. _I can’t believe Hunk’s the one to make the first move!_ they telegraph to each other while Lance stammers before squeaking, “ _Really_?”

 

Hunk’s smile is shy and sweet when he nods, “Yeah. Do you like Thai? I know a great place.”

 

“I _love_ Thai food! The spicier the better!”

 

Mirroring the pair that’s moving closer together to talk, Shiro and Keith move to stand shoulder to shoulder as well.

 

“About time,” Keith says with his arms crossed. “I thought I’d get white hairs before one of them made a move.”

 

Shiro laughs lightly. “Lance is going to be a little upset his grand plan to ask Hunk out just got swept away because he got too caught up in planning it.”

 

“Grand plan?”

 

Nodding, Shiro explains the elaborate plan which had involved the staff playing different roles to get Hunk to a predetermined spot where Lance would be waiting with sunflowers. The more details he shares, the higher Keith’s eyebrows rise. Skepticism turns to awed fear to disbelief by the time Shiro’s done.

 

As he incredulously shakes his head, Keith says, “That’s amazing. What’s Lance going to do now that Hunk asked him out first?”

 

“Probably make a new plan I guess.”

  


Keith’s curious eyes dart to him quickly before turning back. “Is that what you want? A fancy proposal?”

 

Chuckling, Shiro plants a hand on his hip. “I’m not going to lie, I’d love it. But I think there’s something to be said for simplicity. I’d be over the moon if the person I liked asked me out, period. I don’t need all the bells and whistles.”  


There’s an odd light in Keith’s eyes that Shiro can’t name. And before he gets a chance to really examine it, Keith’s turning away. “Come on. You’ve still got your reps to finish.”

 

\--

 

“So that’s how my date went! What about you?”

 

Shiro flips the lights in the locker room off before closing the door, “Hmm? What about me?”

 

“Any progress?” Lance asks, waiting for Shiro to lock the door before heading towards the office to deposit the keys. They’re the last to leave, having already checked and double checked that the main gym had been cleaned and locked up. All they’ve got to do now is lock the front doors and they’re home free.

 

Looking up from his phone, Shiro asks, “Progress?”

 

“With Keith,” his fellow trainer rolls his eyes. “ _Duh_! Have you asked the guy out already?”

 

Shiro drops his gaze back to his phone, thumb flitting past numerous messages rapidly. He’s a little ashamed to say that there’s been little progress on that front. “I haven’t. I’m trying to get to know him before I ask him out.”

 

It’s lame. He knows it sounds lame. But it’s the only excuse me can pull up to hide the truth. The fact of the matter is that Shiro’s still a little intimidated by Keith. The man is handsome, smart, and _strong_ . Keith’s half his size but Shiro’s _dead certain_ that he could kick Shiro’s ass black and blue without breaking a sweat. And that is _hot_.

 

Keith’s attractiveness had gone up when he’d casually shared that he’d participated in the UFC a couple of years back. He hadn’t boast about it but it was still an interesting enough detail that Shiro looked him up later the same day. The videos he’d found online showed that Keith had more than participated in the UFC. He’d been the US Middleweight Champion for a short period before giving the title up.

 

When Shiro had tentatively brought the topic up the next day, Keith had shook his head, bracing himself as he readjusted his grip on the bar. “It was time to move on. I just wanted to fight but my trainer and agent kept pushing me to do more. So I quit. Can you spot me?”

 

There was probably more to the story but Shiro hadn’t pressed. Instead, he’d turned the topic to one of their previous conversations i.e. which space-based movie was the best movie ever. Was it a nerdy topic? Sure. But the reactions his answers pulled out of Keith had made every mildly shameful admission worthwhile. Hell. Admitting that he’d rewatched ET and scratched up the DVD to the point that it didn’t run anymore had made Keith laugh. _Totally_ worth the embarrassing admission.

 

The conversation which had started out fairly silly had turned into a string of conversations through which Shiro’s crush on Keith had deepened. While before he had only been physically attracted to Keith, now Shiro wants to date the hell out of the guy. He wants Keith to sit on his couch and rag on _Prometheus_ with him. He wants to split a pizza with Keith as they discuss the social commentary of _Battlestar Galactica_. He wants to go hiking with Keith and listen to talk about the flora and fauna in the area.

 

But there’s been a strange air between them for the last few days. Something’s been bothering Keith but he won’t say what the problem is. There’s been a couple of times where he’s tried but someone always interrupts, leaving Keith to return to his work out with a thunderous expression and Shiro with a ton of confusion.

 

Shiro’s musing what could be worrying Keith when a sharp elbow presses into his ribs. With a startled “oof!”, Shiro frowns at Lance and almost asks what the hell was _that_ for, when he notices that Lance is shooting a pointed stare out the locked front doors.

 

Keith’s pacing outside the locked doors, phone up to his ear and a deep frown on his face. As Shiro and Lance make their way to the glass doors, Keith’s eyes turn to them and immediately his body sags in relief.

 

Shiro’s unlocking the doors from the inside when Keith begins to talk through the glass, “Thank God you’re here! I’ve been trying to call your help line for a while now but it keeps going to voicemail.”

 

“We do that after 11,” Lance nods, holding the door open for Shiro.

 

As soon as he’s outside, Shiro touches Keith’s elbow and asks, “What’s wrong?”

 

Keith gestures inside as he explains that he’s lost his wallet and he suspects it may have dropped out of his gym bag when he'd come to work out because that had been the last place he’d seen it.

 

Shiro turns to Lance, “I’ll take it from here. You should go home.”

 

“If you’ve got this,” Lance salutes him with two fingers. “See you tomorrow.”

 

As Shiro holds the door open for Keith to walk through, Lance points emphatically towards Keith’s back and mouthes, “Make. A. Move!” at Shiro before making an odd gesture Shiro can’t translate. It could mean “go for it” or something more sexual in nature. He hopes Lance means the first.

 

After he’s locked the door behind him again, Shiro asks, “So, where’s the last place you saw your wallet?”

 

“Locker room.”

 

They try the room but no success. Turning his locker inside out doesn’t reveal the lost wallet either. Keith looks ready to kick the metal door when Shiro hurriedly suggests, “Maybe someone found it and gave it to one of the trainers? They’d have put it in the lost and found.”

 

“It’s worth a shot.” But Keith looks grimly resigned.

 

His unhappiness is clear to see when Shiro walks him into the office and pulls out a box out of the closet. Keith stares at the bulging corners and taped sides before asking, “How much stuff do people lose here anyways?”

 

“I think the better question is what _kind_ of stuff people lose,” Shiro dryly answers as he eyes the jockstrap on top of the pile. “Plus, this is just the big box. We’ve got another one... hang on.” He checks under Pidge’s desk and finds the basket that’s got a lot of the smaller items. There’s a selection of wallets along with a stack of cards, keychains, pens, and headphones. Shiro plonks the container on the desk before asking Keith, “What’s your wallet look like?”

 

Keith’s next to him in a flash, describing the wallet as black leather. There’s five of them so Shiro picks out a random one. He focuses on finding some kind of identification instead of thinking about how nice Keith smells when he’s cleaned up. There’s no ID card but there _is_ a “Frequent Sipper” loyalty card of some coffee shop that Shiro shows Keith.

 

He checks it out before shaking his head, “Not mine.”

 

“Whoever it is, they’re one drink away from a free coffee.” Shiro tucks the card back into the wallet and puts it back. He reaches for the next wallet, capturing it at the same time as Keith’s fingers curl around his.

 

Shiro blinks in surprise, taken aback by the sudden warmth of Keith’s hand. Before he can process it further, Keith takes his hand back with a quick apology. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s okay,” Shiro replies, biting down on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying that he’s rather liked quasi-holding hands with Keith. He flips the wallet open and pulls the identification card out.

 

He grins at Keith’s picture before turning it towards the man, “Got it!”

 

Keith takes the wallet out of his hand, hurriedly checking different slots before sighing in relief.

 

“Everything there?” Shiro asks as Keith tucks the wallet away inside his jacket.

 

Nodding, Keith’s smile is filled with relief. “All my money too. It’s just ten bucks but it’s still there. Thank you for this.”

 

“It was nothing,” Shiro shakes his head with a smile of his own. “I’m just glad you found it.”

 

“Still. Let me make it up to you. How about a movie?”

 

Grinning, Shiro asks, “That’s a big thank you for such a small favor.”

 

The smirk Keith levels his way gives Shiro pause, heart in his throat. He’s not sure what’s coming but whatever it is, it’s going to shock the hell out of him. Keith meets his expectations when he says, “I was getting tired of waiting for you to make the first move. I figured I may as well ask you out myself.”

 

Wind blown out of his sail, Shiro gapes at Keith as he walks away. He’s _still_ staring in slack jawed confusion when Keith pauses at the door, turns around, and casually asks, “Aren’t you coming?”

 

Shiro pleadingly gestures at Keith as his brain catches up with what’s happened and asks, “You’ve been waiting for me to ask you out?”

 

“From the start,” Keith grins.

 

A hot flush colors his cheeks red in a blink. “Was I that obvious?”

 

“Just a little. But you also tried so hard to be respectful and professional. That’s what _really_ caught my eye.” Keith’s eyes slide down Shiro’s body before darting back up. A slow smile pulls Keith’s lips up before he corrects himself, “Along with some other things.”

 

Curiosity overcomes his embarrassment before he realizes what Keith’s implying. This time, his embarrassment causes him to grin sheepishly, scrubbing the back of his neck with his bionic arm. “I guess I should thank you for taking the initiative then.”

 

Humming, Keith waits for him to walk up to him before murmuring, “You should make it up to me.”

 

“I should, shouldn’t I?” Shiro muses with a slow growing grin before he asks, “How does dinner sound?”

 

“I’m free tomorrow.”

 

His grin broadens to the point his cheeks ache and Shiro’s never felt more delighted at being blind sighted. “It’s a date.”

 

Relief and happiness clash on Keith’s face. It’s an endearing expression that fills Shiro with giddiness. He feels like a balloon as they walk out of the gym together, exchanging numbers, and quickly deciding to try out a new cafe that’s opened up in this part of town.

 

It’s only when Shiro’s bringing the shutter down that a thought occurs to him. From where he’s crouching on the concrete, Shiro turns to face Keith and asks, “Have you been trying to ask me out for the last few days?”

 

Embarrassment tints Keith’s cheeks red. “Yeah,” he admits, expression pained and hands tucked inside his jacket pockets. “But whenever I tried someone would interrupt.”

 

Finishing up, Shiro straightens with a grin. “You didn’t purposely forget your wallet just so that you could have a chance to be alone with me, did you?”

 

“That’s not my style,” Keith replies with an eyeroll. “I’m a straight forward guy. I just go for what I want.”

 

“Thank God for that,” Shiro can’t help but murmur.

 

Keith’s exhale is soft but amused. He grins brightly at Shiro. “Thank God you’re okay with a simple confession too.”

 

It takes a second for him to understand but when he does, Shiro laughs. “I guess that makes us a good pair.”

 

“I guess it does.”

 

They stand there, smiling at each other for who knows how long before Keith finally remembers the hour. With clear regret, he takes a step back, thumb pointing over his shoulder, “I should be going. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

Shiro nods, forcing himself to move as well. “You’ll pick me up at 6:30 right?”

 

“Yeah. See you then.”

 

They turn together but not before they both grin at each other. Shiro waits until he’s turned the corner before excitedly pulling his phone out to message Lance.

 

_Progress made! Going out on a date with Keith tomorrow._

 

Shiro sends the message and tucks his phone back into his pocket. But he’s barely slipped it back when it starts to ring with Lance’s personalized tone.

 

“Tell me _everything_ ,” his friend demands as soon as Shiro’s picked up.

 

Chuckling, Shiro stick his free hand into his pocket and happily obliges, all but bouncing on his toes in his happiness. He sure can’t wait till tomorrow night!


End file.
